【Abstract】Objective To explore the research hotspots and evolution trajectory of emergence agitation (EA) in general anesthesia patients worldwide, and provide a reference for further research on this specific topic. Methods Relevant literatures about EA published in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WangFang, VIP, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed and Scopus from inception to March 2024 was searched. CiteSpace software 6.2.R3 was used for visual analysis of the keywords, research frontiers and the major authors. Results 752 Chinese literatures and 755 English literatures were included. Upon analysis, Jin Yuexi, Li Jun, Chai Xiaoqing, and Min Su are jointly ranked at the top in terms of publishing literatures in the Chinese database in the field of EA, while Zhang Ye is the scholar with the highest number of publications in the English database. The high frequency keywords in the Chinese and English databases in the field of EA are “dexmedetomidine” and “emergence agitation”, respectively. The earliest and longest-lasting burst keywords are “anesthesia” and “preschool child”, while the keywords with the highest burst strength are “dezocine” and “emergence delirium”.Conclusion The overall research trends in the field of EA are generally similar both domestically and internationally, with research hotspots primarily focusing on key populations of concern, influencing factors, and preventive intervention management related to EA. It is recommended that researchers should continue to expand and deepen key issues in the field of EA, optimize care policies for special populations, and systematically develop bundled EA preventive intervention programs based on a comprehensive investigation of perioperative EA risk factors. The ultimate objective is to establish a scientific and feasible EA prevention and treatment system, thereby fostering the integration and advancement of research and practice in the field of EA.